kingdom of nations

Chapter 256 Baldwin's Day (Part 1)
Baldwin thought that after being disturbed by Abigail, he would surely have trouble sleeping. But in fact, after ruthlessly telling Abigail to get lost, he threw himself onto the bed and fell asleep in no time.

When he woke up, he couldn't be sure how long he had slept, but he could say that this period of sleep outside of the usual time was exceptionally comfortable and pleasant.

He jumped out of bed, walked barefoot to the corner of the room to look at the water clock. By the sliver of light leaking from behind the window, he could see that the little scribe was holding a pen that pointed to the time of the morning prayer (around eight or nine in the morning). This time was usually considered late for the king, but no one had come to disturb him today. They must all know that he had been praying all night yesterday.

Baldwin stretched out his arms, straightened his back, and stood on tiptoe, fully extending his body like a playful big cat. Then he walked to the window, rolled up the tapestry, and in an instant, the blazing sunlight streamed through the small pane of glass into his eyes and the room.

It had only been two or three hours since Abi was kicked out of here, but it was already very blurry in his memory. However, the scene of spending time with Cesar last night was still clear, and the sweetness of the rock candy seemed to still linger in his mouth.

However, he knew this was an illusion. César valued personal hygiene very much, both for himself and others. He had long ago made a toothbrush for him with boar bristles and an ivory handle. He also personally prepared tooth powder with spices. Every night and every morning, they needed to brush their teeth before going to bed or eating.

Over the years, Baldwin had gotten used to it; if he didn't brush his teeth, he always felt that his breath smelled bad.

He turned and walked to the door, pulling it open. The servant who had been sleeping in front of the door immediately scrambled to his feet. "Good morning, Your Majesty," he greeted respectfully, bowing.

"Go get some water."

The servants quickly brought water, and as Baldwin washed and dried himself with the warm, clean water, he suddenly remembered what had happened when Cesar first came to his side.

At that time, he was disheartened, thinking that he would lose his status as heir and become a monk. However, his despair did not elicit pity from others, but instead brought contempt and humiliation. Although those servants had already received their due retribution, Baldwin found it somewhat amusing to think that as a crown prince, he had to pay them extra for water.

However, after experiencing so many things, he also realized that not everyone can see the long term. Many people, especially those who have unfortunately never received education and guidance, can only see what is in front of them and are complacent about their shallow knowledge.

They have their own ideological barriers built by their own ideas and needs, trapping themselves within them and making it difficult for them to move forward. They even drag others into their theories, like that servant, what was his name again? Baldwin had long forgotten his name, but the feeling of seeing maggots and rats was still very vivid.

However, this feeling has now transferred to Abigail.

He pondered aimlessly, not even noticing when the servant had removed the remaining water. Then he dealt with some personal matters; to put it more elegantly, he prayed alone; to put it more crudely, he cleansed his intestines; and of course, there were even more vulgar things, but those would never happen in the king's bedroom.

After finishing all that, Baldwin carefully washed his hands and then put on a long shirt and shorts. It's worth mentioning here that back in St. Crossburg, or rather, among the Franks, there were no shorts. In fact, from Arrassa Road to Cyprus and then to the Franks, men and women almost always wore only long undergarments, leaving their thighs to knees completely bare, with stockings tied to their calves with straps.

But are shorts available by then?

Yes, in fact, trousers had their prototypes in ancient Greece and Rome. However, for some reason, people only regarded them as a special kind of clothing or an inner lining needed by cavalrymen. After all, they needed to sit on horseback for long periods of time, but cavalrymen usually only had one pair of trousers, and these trousers were not washed every day.

Cesar probably never imagined that the first thing he needed when he was still a servant would be underwear, even before his little mop. After all, he was used to changing his underwear every day and couldn't stand having to wash himself and his clothes only once every few days.

But just like any era of material scarcity, clothing in this era is a valuable asset worth passing down, and each wash will cause the fabric to lose its durability.

It was only shortly after he arrived at Holy Cross Castle that he gained Baldwin's favor, which allowed him to obtain rolls of linen and cotton cloth. At first, he prepared them for himself, but later he prepared them for Baldwin—after all, as a leper whose earliest symptoms appeared on his skin, these areas needed to be kept clean and have less friction.

Baldwin had to admit that this was indeed more comfortable and even safer than hanging in the air.

He then put on his other clothes, namely a sleeveless robe over his long, fitted undergarment, then fastened his belt, pulled up his socks, and slipped on his shoes. During this process, he did not, as is customary, call for servants outside to dress him. This was not related to Cesar, but rather because Baldwin, having contracted leprosy, was weary of the fearful faces and evasive eyes—he even refused to follow tradition by keeping two servants in the room at his beck and call.

Now only two people can see his body—Chiraclius and Cesar, who are not only his teachers, friends, and brothers, but also his doctors, in whom he can freely reveal his weaknesses and flaws.

"Go and see if Cesar is awake. If he is, invite him to have breakfast with me."

Unlike Amalric I, who simply ate a piece of bread, cheese, and drank a glass of wine to complete his meal, Baldwin's breakfast, though also simple, was substantial, consisting of large pieces of meat, large glasses of milk, large chunks of cheese, and a whole tray filled with berries or nuts.

However, Cesar and Baldwin were both at the peak of their appetites, and in no time they finished all the food in front of them.

Are you scheduled to accept appeals and complaints this morning?

Cesar leaned back in his chair, watching Baldwin devour large chunks of roast meat and steaming hot milk with gusto. Baldwin was actually quite impatient, not as calm as his face suggested. Even though he was an adult, knighted, and a king, milk would still stick to his upper lip when he drank it.

Now, Baldwin has grown a fuzzy mustache, which he occasionally forgets to shave off. When he drinks milk or light wine, there are amusing little water droplets hanging on these fine hairs.

Baldwin was unaware that Cesar was secretly comparing him to an infant. He finished the last of his milk, took a pomegranate from the plate, and easily broke it open without any tools. He simply peeled off the skin and popped it into his mouth, membrane and all.

He crunched on the bright red seeds, the sweet juice flowing down his throat. "It might be a little short, but it still has to be." According to customary law and Roman law, as the King of Arazarus, his mornings belonged to the people, and if they needed to request the King's judgment, they had to file their appeals during this time.

Normally, he might hold a meeting every three or five days. Of course, those who could come before the king were not the "commoners" that people thought they were—because according to the law, they had to submit written documents so that the king would be aware of their disputes.

But in an era when education was not widespread, how could a farmer or craftsman possibly produce such documents? Even if they could hire lawyers or scholars, they couldn't afford the money. So the conflicts were mostly between nobles.

During this period, the King's Court, presided over by Baldwin himself, has been held almost every day. Now, the knights are crowding the road to Arrasa and outside the city, as well as in several other cities such as Jaffa, Acre, Bethlehem, and Nalazar. There are simply too many of them.

They came from all over, with different habits and temperaments, not to mention their respective loyal bishops, lords, and noblewomen.

Generally speaking, if they quarrel or even duel because of verbal or behavioral conflicts, it is just their own business. But sometimes things can get out of control, such as a one-man jousting turning into a mixed battle of many people. At that point, it is very likely that the nobles behind the knights will step in and ask the king to intervene on their behalf.

At this point, it depends on the mood of the king they encounter. A more good-tempered king will try his best to persuade them to make peace, and may even pay out of his own pocket to appease both sides. If they encounter a stubborn or straightforward king, or if the king becomes impatient because their argument is too intense, he may order them to duel and settle things with swords. This is undoubtedly the best way to resolve the dispute.

This is because in Arrassa, if it were in the Franks, the king would certainly consider which minister he favored when making a judgment, as it would be more beneficial for him to consolidate his rule.

Fortunately, Baldwin mostly encountered the former.

There are three major knightly orders in the Holy City: the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre, whose Grand Master and true spiritual and political leader is undoubtedly the King; and the Knights Templar, who may be greedy, but have one redeeming quality: when facing the Saracens, their stance is always aligned with the King.

The Knights of Charity—because of the Gerard family's mistakes in Cyprus, they were always somewhat guilty when facing Cesare, and of course they would not compete with the king for the right to speak.

Therefore, the atmosphere inside Arrasa Road is much more peaceful.

Today's royal court ended quickly, with groups of people stepping forward and then leaving. Not everyone may be satisfied with the outcome, but at least they had no way to argue or complain publicly—the young king of Arrassa Road was not a fool to begin with.

Today, he has gained another meticulous and quick-thinking assistant by his side.

Under the gaze of those cold, steel-like blue eyes, it is difficult for either the plaintiff or the defendant to lie or argue. Any cunning thoughts that have been brewing will melt away as quickly as snow under the scorching sun.

Therefore, the King's Court ended earlier than usual today, giving them ample time for lunch. Because the sun was shining brightly, Baldwin and Queen Mother Maria shared the same idea—to dine in the courtyard; Princess Hibil might also have had the same thought.

Hibyl arrived earlier than her brother. She sat under a lush fig tree, enjoying a honey-soaked almond cake while listening to the musician playing. This musician was not a member of the castle's repertoire, but a visiting bard. He wore a turban, elaborate clothing, and tight black and red trousers. His shoes had long, pointed toes like devil's tails, the ends of which had to be tied to rings on his knees for him to walk properly.

Such attire would undoubtedly have drawn harsh rebukes from the priests. But in the eyes of the noblewoman, it was undeniably dashing and debonair.

Hibyl also spotted Baldwin and Cesar from afar.

They were no longer a prince in a precarious position and ordinary servants; they were always surrounded by a large entourage. Hibil's reaction to their arrival was not one of pleasure, but rather a sudden darkening of his expression.

She stood up, seemingly hesitant, unsure whether to approach them or turn away immediately. Finally, she chose a compromise: she bowed respectfully to Baldwin from a distance, then led her entourage out of the courtyard.

"When did Your Highness return?"

“A week ago.” With a major battle imminent, if it were just a simple expedition, he might have allowed Hibil to remain in Naresa. But since this battle had transcended the scope of an expedition, they could not leave the king’s only blood relative in Naresa, which was closer to the battlefield.

Seemingly aware that she no longer enjoyed her brother's trust, Hibern was unusually well-behaved for a while after returning home. She did not quarrel with Queen Mary or embarrass her husband, Abigail.

If it's just about finding a few bards to sing and dance, that's not too much to ask, or rather, it's quite satisfying.

"She doesn't know yet..."

“Hmm.” However, Baldwin did not intend to hide this matter—to be honest, if he really softened his heart towards Abigail and agreed to his request, Bohemond and Hibil might even think that he was deliberately trying to embarrass Abigail.

Moreover, unless Abigail is willing to break off his engagement with Hibil, Baldwin will have to keep him by his side even if it is forced. More than ten years may seem like a long time, but in fact, it is as fleeting as a white horse galloping past a crack in the wall.

Baldwin couldn't allow him to hide behind others just because he was afraid. He had to comfort himself that perhaps it was just because Abigail had never been on the battlefield. Once he was on the battlefield and could feel the glory and pride of fighting bravely, he might change his mind.

(End of this chapter)